Collapsing Memories and Birthday Wishes
by 7thPersona
Summary: Trapped in an uncomfortable position and bleeding out within a collapsed building isn't how Izuku imagined he would spend his birthday, but the world is funny that way. Or: Being sent out on patrol on your birthday isn't exactly what someone would wish for, but Izuku wouldn't have it any other way. But after a morning of fun, Ochako finds herself trying to keep her boyfriend alive.
1. Chapter 1: Cats and Collapses

**Summary:** Trapped in an uncomfortable position and bleeding out within a collapsed building isn't how Izuku imagined he would spend his birthday, but the world is funny that way.

Or:  
Being sent out on patrol on your birthday isn't exactly what someone would wish for, but Izuku wouldn't have it any other way. After a day of shenanigans and cat saving under the burning sun, he and Ochako are called to the site of a villain attack, where Ochako finds herself doing all she can to save her boyfriend's life. (Set in the summer of third year.)

 **(A/N):** Or part 2: The only birthday fic where the author is unexplainably cruel to her favorite characters, and feels guilty about it. But does it anyway.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IZUKU!

This is (clearly) written to celebrate everyone's favorite Brocolli Boy, so not much more needs to be said in that area. I'm just going to say that I'm really sorry about this being more than one part and not having both parts done on the 15th. Some stuff popped up, and I feel really bad about it. :( But I hope to have the next part out soon after that! And if anyone's curious about my other, main story, I'll resume work on it once this is finished. With that out of the way, enjoy reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own BnHA or its characters in any way or form.

 **0o0o0o0o0o0**

 _"Aizawa! Why are you sending them out on patrol?" Toshinori interrogated Shota, his brow furrowed in a mix of anger and confusion. He had stormed into the teacher's lounge, casual clothes seemingly hanging off of his small body._

 _Shota cast him a bored look from the corner of his eyes, facing his work desk, papers in hand. "What now?" He turned back to fully face his desk, tapping the stack of papers against the surface to make a neat and orderly pile._

" _You sent Deku and Uravity out on patrol, even though you know that it's his_ birthday _?" He used the two third-years' given code-names; this had to do with their internships as heroes. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into the calloused skin of his palms._

" _Oh." Shota paperclipped the many sheets together, then cramming them into a tan, cardstock folder. After he stuffed that into a black brief bag, he continued his monotone answer, "Midoriya never struck me as the type to want people celebrating his birthday all that much." He slung the fabric bag over his left shoulder, making his way around Toshinori and towards the door._ "Still need to go through these files about the summer internships…," _Shota thought to himself with slight annoyance._

" _But!" Shota stopped walking, looking over his shoulder. "Don't you think that even someone as selfless as him would still want his birthday off? Or at least_ acknowledged _?" Toshinori argued, his voice edged with a hint of desperation._ "I… just want Izuku to relax… He works himself to hard…" _He frowned and bit his lip, nervously awaiting Shota's response._

 _The black-haired pro closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Then, looking his coworker in the eyes, answered back, "I think that the best "birthday gift" Midoriya could receive would never actually be a physical item. The thing that would make him most happy would be the chance to save others, which he's strived for years to get. So I think sending him out on patrol is what he would personally prefer." Shota didn't care if Toshinori agreed or not - after all, Shota_ was _still the hero-in-training's supervisor._

"He's… He's right…," _Toshinori thought, gulping and keeping his eyes on Aizawa's back as he exited the room._ "I knew that… All I really wanted was to spend some time with Izuku…" _The door clicked shut, leaving Toshinori alone in the teacher's lounge._

* * *

"Phew! It sure is hot!" Ochako exclaimed, throwing her arms back to stretch, her hands clasped together. Izuku looked down at her from the side, an ever-so-slightly amused smirk present on his freckle splattered face. The mid-summer sun had been blazing down on them since early morning, the scorching rays of heat making the air around them hazy. Having full-body costumes didn't help them stay any cooler either. Looking around the area, his eyes darting across the road, Izuku couldn't help but notice the lack of citizens present in the typically bustling city. They were absent for obvious reasons, though.

"Sure is," His answer was simple as he continued to observe their surroundings. He shifted the white glove in his right hand, subconsciously averting his eyes to his and Ochako's connected hands. He tried to hide his blissful smile as he blushed a shade of pink, but failed in the end. Luckily Ochako didn't notice, too preoccupied with something in a store-front window up ahead.

She gasped, calling out his name as she dragged her boyfriend over to the shop by their intertwined hands. "Izuku! Look at this!" She looked like she would start drooling any moment, staring at the chilled ice cream inside of the desert parlor. Izuku chuckled and cocked his head up to look at the store's sign. " _Gege's Deserts"_ it read. He looked back down at Ochako, only to see her now frowning.

"Hey, what's wrong?" The green-haired teen's smile fell from his face, the last bright expression exchanged for concern. His eyebrows scrunched together and he tilted his head to the side in confusion.

His worry was relieved, however, when Ochako began speaking again, a growing smile on her face as she spoke in a jokingly sad tone, "You know, I would ask you to buy me some delicious ice cream, seeing how I _am_ your precious girlfriend and all," She could barely hold back her giggles, "But, it is your birthday, I guess. So that may be inconsiderate." She gave an exaggerated shrug, adopting a fake pout on her lips and closing her eyes. The gravity-manipulator peeked an eye open, and one look at the face of the boy across her sent both of the students into a fit of laughter.

A solid minute of them reveling in simple amusements outside of some miscellaneous ice-cream shop passed by, Ochako clutching her stomach and Izuku holding his fist up to his nose (effectively covering his mouth), both using their free hands, refusing to let go of one another. Still glowing from her mirth, Ochako attempted to stand somewhat straight, her body threatening to double over from convulsive giggles. In between laughs she managed to squeeze out,"Really though-!" Waving her hand in front of her, she gave over to the expressions of happiness once again.

By the end of it all, the two were all but rolling around on the sidewalk, both of their faces red from laughing too hard, chests heaving as they tried to catch their breaths. "But, jokes aside, we need to get to work," Ochako practically wheezed, trying her hardest to ward off another laugh.

"Yea. We have people to save!" Ochako smiled up at her boyfriend, admiring his determination and drive. "Save them from the sun, is more like it." The chuckling began again as they resumed their walk around town, hands still conjoined. Patrol was going well, it seemed.

* * *

The day had been simple thus far, the duties of heroes relatively tame. To Izuku and Ochako, or the up and coming heroes Deku and Uravity, being together made the jobs breeze by even quicker. The tasks that they conquered all finished off with people thanking them, the two maintaining their humble and positive auras. But, a world with quirks and corrupt beings couldn't stay calm for long.

The call came while Izuku was quickly helping a young girl with something before they continued patrol. The blonde-haired child had approached them as they walked through a public park, her braids swinging behind her as she ran towards the two interns. She stopped in front of Izuku, panic evident on her soft features.

"Sir!" Both were taken aback by her proper manners, but didn't say anything as the child continued, "You're Hero Deku, right?" Ochako looked over at her boyfriend, taking in his flushed face. A sweet smile appeared on her face; she was happy for him.

Izuku brushed off his excitement and crouched down next to the dress-clad girl. Elbows resting on his thighs, he answered her with a bright smile, "Sure am!" It was hard to keep the butterflies from surfacing in Ochako's stomach at the sight.

"Oh thank goodness! My cat, Mr. Tubby, ran away! I've been searching all afternoon, but I can't find him anywhere!" Tears formed in the corners of the girl's eyes, and the green-haired hero in front of her frowned, his heart clenching in pain for the girl. "Will you please help me! I'll pay you; please, just help me find Mr. Tubby! I beg of you!"

Izuku clenched his face, eyes closed and clutching his shirt near his heart. By this point, Ochako had gotten used to this certain expression, labeling it the "Heart Squeeze Face". She watched as her boyfriend stood up, head tilted up as he indirectly displayed his compassion. Recovering from whatever emotion overtook him, Izuku relaxed his face, and looked back down at the girl, grinning kindly at her once more.

"Don't worry! We'll find Mr. Tubby together!" He sounded foolish using the silly pet name, but still managed to possess a certain air of heroism. "And no paying, alright? Now, do you know where your cat may have gone?" He said gently, as good with children as ever. It was Ochako's turn to have her heart skip a beat, watching on as her sweet boyfriend extended his scarred up hand down, the girl reaching up to place her own small hand in his. He embraced her's, giving it a soft squeeze.

"Well," The small child began, "I know that he always comes here when he's lost… He's always been easy to find, but I couldn't find him today, for some reason." She gazed up at Izuku, her expression distraught and discouraged. He returned it with a lopsided smile, making his freckles shift with the tug of his skin.

"We'll find him, I promise. Maybe he's in one of the tree's?" He offered as they walked off of the sidewalk and into the park area. He spared a gaze to Ochako, looking back over his shoulder, mouthing to her "I'll handle this one." with a private smile.

Ochako took the moment to relax and hide from the burning sun, getting only hotter as the day progressed. Seeking refuge on a wooden bench under a massive tree, shedding glorious shade all around, she peered at her other hero-companion as he and the girl scampered across the tiny park, searching for the lost cat. She gave an inward chuckle, noticing how Izuku was jumping up and into all of the trees as the girl searched primarily the ground level. _He's such a silly worry wart._ She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, basking in the coolness of the shade and the comfort of the bench. Before Ochako knew it, she was dozing off, the wind and chirping of birds lulling her to sleep.

During their little search for Mr. Tubby, Izuku had learned of the young girl's name, and she of his. " _Meredith is such a fancy name… ,"_ He thought hopping into one of the larger trees, " _But still so cute!"_ Scanning around himself, Izuku was deterred from his thoughts by a small mewl, high and frightened. Eyes wide and searching, he heard it again. " _From above!"_ He realized, zipping his line of sight upward. " _There!"_ Just a couple of branches lay a chubby, orange Munchkin cat.

Being as still as possible for balancing in a treetop, Izuku yelled over his shoulder, "Meredith! I found him!" His smile was beaming as he watched how the girl came running over, squealing her cat's name and of happiness. Once she reached the base of the tree, he interrupted her mantra of thank you's to ask her a curious question, "Now is there anything I need to be careful of as I get him down?"

She went silent and looked up at him, surprised by his caution. "Ah, not really. Just avoid his tail!" Meredith made sure to speak fairly loudly so the teenager in the tree could hear her clearly. She clenched her cute fists up at her chest, scared for both her cat and the hero.

"Alright then!" Izuku turned back to face the small feline, cooing his name out as an attempt to show that he was friendly. "Mr. Tubby, I'm just here to help. Alright? We're gonna get you out of this tree… Then you can be with Meredith again!" He kept his voice low, slowly nearing closer to the cat, which purred when he heard his owner's name.

Activating his quirk, sending tendrils of power through his body, he jumped up and forward before the cat had time to react, swiftly and expertly snatching him into his arms. Finding his footing came first, and then he could celebrate. "Gotcha!" He exclaimed, excited to give Meredith her cat. "Coming down!" Izuku hollered, notifying the girl at the base of the trunk that the "mission" was a success.

"Yay!" The cries of "Thank you!" returned once more and the blonde twirled around in happiness, throwing her arms up into the air. Izuku, the cat comfortably cradled in his muscled arms, leaped from the grand oak, landing on the grassy ground with a thud. He was just a high-school intern, doing his job as a hero-in-training. But he was _her_ savior, bringing a treasured pet to safety. "Mr. Tubby!" She cheered, tears of relief streaming down her face as she threw her arms around Izuku, not even reaching up to his hips. "Thank you so much, Deku!" Using his hero-name, she showed her gratitude through a long lasting hug.

"You're welcome, Meredith. No problem," After she released her tight hold on him, he squatted down to face her at near eye level. With a blinding smile, he carefully handed her the Munchkin cat that had nestled into his arms.

With her face down, seeming to be conflicted by something, she accepted the fuzzy feline, petting him briskly before suddenly snapping her head up to look at Izuku. His eyes went wide, surprised by her sudden seriousness. Then in all one instant, she was grinning ear-to-ear, proclaiming, "It's Merry! Call me Merry!" She gave a blissful laugh, one that made Izuku chuckle softly in return.

"Merry it is." The girl reached out her hand, and he clasped it with his own, shaking it gingerly. She continued to giggle, eyes closed. The orange cat in her arms purred lightly, possibly feeling the vibration in her chest. After she released her grasp on his hand, he stood, brushing off his pants and giving Meredith another signature smile.

As he was stretching - twisting at the waist - he noticed Ochako sprinting towards him, looking frantic, distress etched all over her face. She had awoken when she received a very worrisome call. Worried, Izuku began to jog towards her, Meredith a few feet behind. "What's wrong?" He questioned, grasping the upper parts of her arms out of concern.

"There's," She stopped for a moment, letting her breath catch up, "There's been a building collapse. We have to hurry, Izuku, it's villains." The words sent him into a frenzy, his mind going into overdrive. " _Where? Who? When? How many casualties? What heroes are the-"_ Shaking his head, he cut the thoughts short.

His panic ridden face was replaced with one of determination, and he rapidly turned around to face Meredith leaning down to be closer. "Now, we have some more hero business to attend to. Do you think you can find your home from here?" He made sure to still put on a calm expression for the girl.

Meredith nodded, a look of determination on her own face. "Mmhmm! My house is only a block down! And now I have to protect me!" The cat mewled in her arms, causing Izuku to smile inwardly at her earnestness.

"Alright then. This won't be the last time we see each other, Merry!" He said, turning around to see that his girlfriend had moved forward, and was pacing back and forth as she talked on the phone. He jogged up to her, leaving Meredith behind.

"What's going on?" He inquired urgently just as she hung up the phone call. He adjusted his hero suit, tightening his gloves and such. "Where is this happening?"

"On Warkla Road, just a few streets down. They said we would know which building when we get there," She answered, her normally bright voice taking on a more serious edge. "It was a villain attack. They blew up a luxury apartment complex, is what I was told." She looked at her boyfriend, both of them apprehensive, but prepared to battle if needed. This, after all, wasn't their first show.

"We should go," Izuku said, slipping on his newly modified mask while Ochako brought herself closer. She hummed in acknowledgement, her expression fierce. Scooping her up into his arms, he activated One-for-All, advanced strength coursing through his veins.

Jumping, he left the quaint park behind and headed towards the city, where crisis was striking and he was needed. In the wooded park, a girl stood holding a poofy cat, watching in amazement as her newfound hero bounded through the sky, leaping off of rooftops in order to reach his destination. Up ahead of this hero lay a path of pain, but also victory and growth. Perhaps the life of a hero only seems simple at first glance.

* * *

Locating the building had been effortless; missing the collapsing apartment complex seemed impossible, the roof caving in and the walls crumbling apart. From the sky, one could view people darting about, some helping the injured, others running away or standing idly by, as well as a full news cast reporting in on the incident. An ambulance was posted, waiting for heroes to rescue those in need of the most medical attention from the quickly deteriorating building.

Upon arriving at the scene, Izuku and Ochako had been immediately bombarded by the reporters, a woman shoving a microphone into their faces the moment their feet hit the ground. The two were surprised by the news anchor's lack of awareness for the situation; there was no time for the interruption. Facing the cameraman, the brown-haired woman began to speak, "Here we have the popular U.A. students Deku and Uravity! Tell us, what do you think is happening here on Warkla Road, which is typically a calm street?" But by the time she had started her short introduction, the two heroes had looked at each other, nodded, and bolted towards the other forces nearby. Whipping around, the reporter found that she had been talking to empty space. Sighing, she told the cameraman to keep rolling on the action.

Sprinting up to a cluster of people, Ochako and Izuku did their best to find a person who could educate them of the situation before the two rushed inside head-first. Locating one of the apartment complex's staff members, the two interrogated him on what had happened. "Everything seemed fine, but then there was a sudden explosion. It wasn't massive, but it still sent people running outside. And good thing they did, because after that, there was a second explosion, much stronger. It took out most of the east side of the building. Even though some people were able to get out, there are still a lot inside. We have a resident list," He held up a clipboard with names on it, "And have been checking off all of the people that have been reported safe. But we've only found 42 of the 75 people currently living there, and since then there's been another explosion," He was clearly nervous, his voice shaky, but his information was useful, even if it was slightly vague. "I hope this helps."

"Thank you so much," Izuku had said, his gratitude heartfelt. The worker nodded, and walked away from the shorter boy and his girlfriend, resuming his task of checking the list of apartment patrons. Turning to Ochako, the two quickly discussed their next plan of action, "So we know that there are still several citizens trapped inside, and that the villains are still making frequent attacks, so we have to be careful." The brunette watched (normally it would be with bemusement, but the circumstances were too serious), recognizing the look on Izuku's face and his body posture. With a hand on his chin, eyes cast downward at nothing in particular, the gears in his head were turning. Swiftly, a plan was formed. "So this may have to be a mix between a rescue and attack operation. You'll float the rubble that's too big, and I'll help lift things that I can, carry the people, and fight if needed," He hastily looked at her, a red tinting his cheekbones as he caught his small mistake, "And you'll of course help fight, too."

Nodding, and wearing a knowing smile, Ochako affirmed his idea, "Sounds solid to me. Alright, ready to go?" After hum of approval from the hero beside her, the two dashed off, entering the failing building ahead of them.

It was dark, and dust billowed around them, thick in the air. Stepping cautiously through the ground level and crouching around hunks of cement and crushed wall, the two commenced the search for trapped civilians. Five minutes into their frantic look-about, they had still yet to find a single person. Just as Ochako had begun to groan in frustration, there was sudden thudding, each noise coming shorty after the other in a rapid succession. Afraid that it was the continuing explosions that the worker outside had warned of, both Izuku and Ochako dropped to the floor and rolled into some form of cover, holding their hands above their heads as trained to do so.

In an instant, the thundering clamor came to an abrupt halt and a voice replaced it, "Ah! Deku and Uravity!" A moment of pause passed and the mentioned students looked to the voice in shock, "What… What are you doing?" It was Deatharms, carrying two unconscious people to help _from the second level_. Relief flooded through Izuku's body, now aware that the commotion had just been the large hero's footfalls, and he shot up, coming to a stiff form of attention. "You're just as crazy as always," He gave a disheartened chuckle and moved closer to the exit, "There are people upstairs still that you can help,"

Once the pro's tip reached the ears of Izuku and Ochako, they both made a mad sprint for the battered and torn staircase, the former bounding up the stairs four at a time when applying his quirk. Zipping about the second floor, avoiding the obstructions of rubble they both frenziedly combing through the area. Within 2 minutes there were already three people hoisted up onto Izuku's back and he began sauntering outside and towards the paramedics as Ochako located and gathered more of the injured.

An hour passed, all but one of the 11 floors swept through, and dozens of people had been rescued by Izuku and Ochako, along with other heroes. Odd was it that there had been no sightings of the villains, nor a fourth explosion. Carrying a couple of people, Ochako on his tail as she supported another and floated a young boy, Izuku made his way to the ambulance.

"There's _more_?" The female EMT stationed outside sighed, exasperated as she looked at the oncoming cluster of people. Her coworker inside was trying his best to fit several people inside of the vehicle. This would be the fourth ambulance to be sent off. "Are there any severe injuries?" The woman hollered at Izuku and Ochako before he reached where she was.

"Not that we can tell!" The pink-costumed hero shouted back, subconsciously examining the back of her boyfriend up ahead. Reaching the ambulance, the male medical technician eased the unconscious citizens off of Izuku and propped them up somewhere in the packed automobile. "Here," The worker on the ground said, taking the older woman that Ochako had been supporting. A murmured thank you was heard from the injured lady.

Izuku walked up to where Ochako and the boy she was still floating were, and got himself ready to catch said child. Tapping her fingers together, the boy's gravity was reverted back to normal and was soon nestled comfortably in strong arms. After lifting the red-haired boy into the ambulance, Izuku and Ochako bumped shoulders and began the short sprint to the building, entering once again.

Checking off the newly acquired rescued, the nurse smiled down at her clipboard, pleased to see that the day's work was almost done — all of the apartment goers had been accounted for. Zipping back around, she began to congratulate the two young heroes that had been with her, "That's everyone! No need to go back into the bu-" Her mouth dropped open and worry flooded up from the pit of her stomach.

Looking onward at the apartment complex, she contemplated going inside to get them herself, but rationed that there were patients who needed her. (She was correct in that fact.) Deciding to instead notify another hero near her, she approached Deatharms, who had been at the site since the beginning of the explosion. "Excuse me," She began, effectively gaining his attention, "All of the citizens have been rescued, but-"

"That's great! How's everybody holding up?" The burly man interrupted, excited to hear that his and the other heroes' work had paid off. Smiling, he had no idea that there were still two heroes inside, searching for people they wouldn't find.

"Actually, sir, Deku and Urav-" She didn't get to complete the student's hero names, which she had caught earlier in the day. For, to the horror of everyone in the vicinity, the ground began to tremble, the building shaking with a great force. In a burst of light, and a reverberation of ear-shattering clatter, the building shattered before their eyes. The villains had struck again, with two unsuspecting heroes trapped within it's now destroyed walls.

* * *

They were on the eleventh floor, lifting up chunks of rubble and rock, searching for citizens, but to no avail. Worried that they wouldn't be able to find those still trapped before it was too late. Growing ever more concerned, their faces were grim as they continued to look in vain.

It started with a cough, and then she rubbed her eyes. Ochako looked around, confused by the sudden onslaught of dust billowing around the destructed rooms. Sparing a glance to the ceiling, she realized that it was flowing down from there. Confused, she made her way around the apartment level, probing throughout each room for her boyfriend. "Where could he…," A great rumbling overtook the building, and Ochako's knees felt weak against the motion — realization struck her like a train.

The clanging and shifting of the building all around, Ochako took a sprint towards the level's lobby, frantically searching for Izuku. " _No, no, no, no, no…"_ Tears streaming down her face, partially from the sawdust floating about (heavier in the air than ever) and mostly from panic, she saw him crouched over, looking for citizens closer to the ground. "DEKU!" She screeched. He turned to her, eyes wide with surprise. "GET DOWN!"

There was a moment where time seemed to slow down. The situation dawned on Izuku just as Ochako tackled him to the ground, her body toppling his. All at once, the brief time of pause came to an abrupt stop.

Pain was the only feeling, enveloping the two and causing Ochako to cry out. A stone struck Izuku's head, and everything suddenly fell into a haze. Above him, he saw the ceiling falling on them, as if the sky were collapsing. Clenching his teeth, he punched away some of the rubble falling closer and closer to them, then fell unconscious, floating in an ocean of tormented aching. They were already entrapped deep within a pile of rubble with no way out.

* * *

"What's going on?" Shouto exclaimed, making it to the scene shortly after the fourth explosion, catching sight of several people hunkering close to the ground. The air was thick with dust and unplaced emotion, the former filtering uncomfortably into Shouto's eyes. Lips in a grim line, he scanned the area in hopes of finding someone to inform him of the situation. His boots clapped loudly on the cracked asphalt of the destroyed apartment complex parking lot - the only break in the stiff silence of the atmosphere.

After filtering about the groups of citizens, Shouto came across Deatharms, who was standing dominantly with his arms crossed. Jogging up to him, arms pumping gently at his sides, the fire-and-ice user called out, "Hey! What's happening?" He came to a halt a few yards in front of the pro.

Looking down at the student, Deatharms provided an answer, "There's been a villain attack; a couple of explosions have destroyed the building." Shouto opened his mouth to ask a question, but the muscled hero stopped him, "Before you ask: we've already got all of the citizens out."

The words easing his clamoring heart, Shouto sighed. Placing his right hand on his chest, he exhaled, "That's a relie-"

He was cut short, "But there are two heroes trapped inside. They went in to check for more people before we could tell them that everyone was out, and then the villains struck again." Figuring that the hero-in-training would ask who was trapped, Deatharms decided that saying it then was his best course of action, "Their hero names are Uravity and Dek-"

Deatharms didn't get to finish his statement before Shouto made a bolt for the skeleton of an apartment complex, attempting to jump headlong into the crumbling remains. Adrenaline coursed through his body as his legs carried him swiftly towards the structured pile of rubble.

"Wait!" Deatharms hollered, scolding Shouto for his reckless haste. He was running directly behind the other, attempting to make his way to the front. Shouto couldn't hear him, or decided to ignore him in prefrence of continuing his venture to save his friends. All he could sense outside of his drowning emotion was the whistling of wind around him.

Luckily, thanks to his larger body, Deatharms was able to catch up to the student just before he reached the shell of a building, sticking his arm out to block the path before moving his body to be in the way. "Hold on, kid."

"Why'd you do that?" Shouto glared at the man, the scowl on his face quite intimidating. But Deatharms refused to be swayed by the effort. Shouto huffed, inhaling and exhaling quickly, possibly out of panic and anger, but also from his urgent sprint.

Deatharms sighed, "We have to wait for more reinforcements. Hereos with more sutiable quirks are on their way." Shouto clenched his fist, knowing that he would have to hold back from bursting into the wreckage that instant. "Just sit tight, we'll get 'em out of there," Deatharms tried to smile.

"Fine," Shouto pushed away the arm in front of his body and turned around, making his way back towards the other people. Leaning against a pole with his arms crossed, he bided his time, anticipating the moment where he would be able to save Izuku and Ochako.

* * *

Up above, standing on one of the relitavily intact fire-stairs, five or so masked figures stood, snickering gleefully. "That's it boys," One of them said. He was holding a remote with four seperate buttons, each labeled with a corresponding number. The group was dripping with murderous intentions, and one could only imagine the sick and twisted smiles that lied beneath the cloaks.

Casting a finger forward, indicating where to go, the man who had spoken leaped from the building and to the ground level, his black clothing billowing in the wind. With the cluster behind him, they made a quick escape, eyes set on reaching a certain "sewage drain" in a secluded alleyway. Unfortunatley, that would not be their destination.

" _What is… that?"_ Through the corner of his eye, Shouto had been blinded by a glint off of the top section of the building. He had been making rounds around the premise of the demolished apartment building, too antsy to sit and wait by the entrance. Squinting, he made out several dark figures from above, one holding a silver device that had likely reflected the sun.

Shouto's eyes narrowed - " _It's them."_ He had to assume that the suspicious people up on the escape staircases were the perpetrators who had blown up the building. Silently sneaking into a dark area, hoping to keep himself concealed until the opportuneあa moment, Shouto felt sick to his stomach at the malicious laughter seeping from the five villains.

He stood soundless for multiple minutes, unshifting, as he glowered at the road. When the evil-doers finally descended to the ground, Shouto couldn't help but notice how they stuck out in the middle of the day wearing all black attire. He watched through narrowed eyes, spying from the distance as he prepared for the perfect moment to strike, as the man who held the device beckoned the others forward. In a span of less than 30 seconds, the group of five had taken off running.

When they were a noticeable distance away, far enough that they wouldn't hear a pursuer from behind, Shouto took his moment, blazing after them. His muscles worked, carrying him swiftly as he was led through alleys with sharp turns and secluded and musty areas. Angling his body to make a corner, he came across the villains at a standstill, backs facing Shouto. They were still completely unaware of his presence.

A clank resounded through the passageway as one of the men lifted up a rusted sewage drain cover. Seeing his moment, Shouto balanced his body and tamed his breath. The matter was dealt with instantly, a layer of ice blocking the sewage entrance and 5 sets of feet frozen to the asphalt in a blink of an eye.

"Wha-agh!" One of the shrouded men exclaimed, struggling to keep his balance after he had thrown up his hands in frustration. Groaning echoed off of the walls as Shouto's boots thudded on the ground upon his approach to the stationary forces.

"Who are _you_?!" The lead man (Shouto had concluded) gawked, his face marred by fury. " _Everything was going great! We were making our escape!"_ He thought, dumbfounded. " _If I had expected to get caught, I figured it would be by some head-honcho pro… but no by-!"_ "You're just some _kid_!" He shouted, baring his teeth. The rest of his men mirrored the same intense emotion.

Standing confidently in front of them, Shouto gave no answer, only whipping out his cell and sending a message to the appropriate people, " _I've contained the villains."_ Along with the mass text was an address. The student huffed, trying to contain the flaming anger that was bursting from within.

Short minutes passed, filled with the perpetrators barking useless insults Shouto's way, and the time was spent securing the area. By the time the police arrived, there were makeshift ice handcuffs on the men, arms bent behind their backs (causing much annoyance on the criminals' behalf).

After melting the frozen containment measures (upon the request of the police), Shouto edged towards the end of the bustling alleyway. Amidst the process of brief interrogations and shoving the scoundrels into police vehicles, a female officer took notice of the sudden urgency evident in Shouto's movements, opposite to his previously calm demeanor.

When she saw him motion to take off in a run, she grasped his wrist. "Wait!" Turning over his shoulder, he gave her a questioning (but yet oddly blank) look. "What's… What's your name?" It was a simple question, one out of an equally simple curiosity of " _Who is this kid?"_

"Shouto," And then he was gone, nearing his previous location outside of the collapsed building. The sprint over was quick and painless outside of the nagging concern ebbing within his chest. He pushed away that emotion, replacing it with the thought of finally being able to enter the remains of the apartment complex.

He had been gone for a little over 20 minutes — " _Surely there's enough forces now?"_ His hopes were answered negatively, and he was told to wait longer. Crestfallen and depressed, he found a relatively empty place to rest. With all feelings of anger diminished, Shouto was left to the wrath of anxiety and worry. He was engulfed by despair.

* * *

"..uku," Everything was registering in fragments once Izuku eventually came to, "Hey, Izuku," The voice that had pulled him back whispered again. Fluttering his eyelashes, he struggled to open his eyes, only to find that he could only hazily see from one. The other was victim to a stream of blood that was flowing from his temple; it took a second for him to remember what happened, but he nonetheless did. On top of him was Ochako, tears streaming down her dirt covered face, the streaks washing away the grime in clear lines.

At the sight of Izuku's half-lidded, but still open, eyes, she gently thumped her helmeted head down on the left side of his chest, relieved that her boyfriend was awake and (somewhat) alright. "Oh thank God," The spill of tears came fresh, heavier than before. "Oh god, Izuku," She muttered, sniffing through her sobs.

Distressed by Ochako's apparent sadness, Izuku made to reach out to her as a form of comfort. At the first movement of his right arm, a pain riveted through his chest. The loud hiss that escaped his lips alerted the girl with him, prompting her to look up at him, taking notice of the grimace he wore. "What's wrong?" She was quiet, as was everything else, silence shrouding the small space that they were encased within.

"It's," He began, and Ochako saw how he moved his other arm towards his chest, possibly to rub the area in order to soothe the soreness. Beating him to it, she merely lifted his tattered costume off of his right shoulder, a guilty suspicion growing in her heart. Her fingers were dainty, the motions as soft as butterfly kisses, but Izuku still visibly winced.

"I'm sorry," Her voice was dripping with apology, for more than one reason. In the moment, Izuku couldn't see the hint of regret in the two words. "It's your collarbone," She told him. The bone was severely damaged, supposedly broken in two or so pieces, the half closer to his neck pushing the skin out in the middle. (Luckily the skin hadn't been punctured.) The second part was distorted and bent, the section where the tip would slightly emerge from the shoulder positioned much too far from the edge. "It's broken," She refrained from telling Izuku what it looked like, fearful of the reaction.

He hummed, ever unconcerned for his own aches. "How are your injuries?" He asked his girlfriend, moving his good arm to grab her hand. She sighed, eyebrows scrunched together with worry at the sight of Izuku's eyelids falling, growing clearly heavier. Both could safely assume that there was a concussion in play.

"My left arm is hurting pretty bad," She tried her best to play down her own injuries, familiar with the way that her boyfriend freaked out whenever she got so much as a scratch, "But it'll probably just be somethin' like a fracture. And my ankle's messed up too. I think it may be from when I tackled you," She thought for a moment, trying to shake off the shock of the events and feel for other bodily pains. "My neck, too. Just sore from jerking it quickly, though," She also wanted to add, " _I hit my head on your chest when the explosion happened, and my helmet probably broke your collarbone,"_ But refrained from doing so, the words getting trapped in her throat. "I… I think that's it."

Upon her report, a troubled anxiety flourished within Izuku and he grew desperately concerned for his girlfriend. Moving slightly to change their uncomfortable position, Izuku brushed Ochako's side with his hand by accident. The color drained from his face, and he bit his lip, sweat dripping from his bloodied face. "What's the ma-"

"Ochako," She blinked, surprised by his interruption, "Are you bleeding?" He shifted his glazed over eyes to glance at his left hand, and gulped upon seeing the thin layer of blood on his fingers.

"Umm… I, don't thi-" She furrowed her eyebrows, and pushed her lips to one corner of her mouth.

"It's your side," Came his quiet voice once again, alerting her of the injury. Craning her stiff neck to look at the aforementioned wound, getting sight of her ripped costume and a laceration on her left hip. "Will you let me look at it?" Ever the gentleman, he asked for her consent to observe the damage. Nodding, she felt him move ever-so-slightly to get a better look at the gash. "Thank goodness. It's not very deep," Laced with immense relief, his voice comforted her slight panic.

He thought for bit, and proceeded with his next plan of action. Rotating his neck to the right, he bit down on the material of his costume's neckline, careful as to not hook his skin. The long, unsettling sound of clothing ripping could be heard as he yanked his head to the left, effectively making a strip of fabric. "Why did you do that?" Ochako asked, her voice unsure.

Grabbing the piece from his mouth with his uninjured, left arm, he folded the band of material in half. The jagged cloth would serve as a makeshift bandage. "We've gotta stop the bleeding," He answered her, moving to press the dark, green-teal scrap on her cut. Despite being as gentle as possible in the sense that some pressure was needed, she still gasped and clenched her eyes closed tightly. "Sorry! Sorry!" He moved his hand away slightly, concerned that he had made it worse.

"No! No, it's fine, you didn't do it on purpose," She sighed, exasperated by the situation "And you're doing the right thing." He bit his lip and looked at her with deep apprehension, but placed the cloth back on the laceration, doing his best to halt further damage to the wound.

As he applied pressure to her wound, she thought of a way out of the cave of rubble that had built around them. " _I could use my quirk…"_ She changed her mind on that notion, " _No, I don't know how heavy this stuff is, and it may be past my limit… And who knows how deep in the rubble we are? Or, what if I float the wrong rock first? The rest would crush us…"_

A few more minutes passed, with occasional winces from Ochako (to which Izuku profusely apologized for multiple times), and a realization had finally struck the brunette. "Hey… Izuku," He looked up slowly, and she grew ever more frantic at the sight of his clouded over and dilated eyes. "You never gave me your injury report."

"Oh," He seemed dazed, his typical alertness fading to his head injury. She only prayed it wasn't as bad as it seemed. He began, voice hushed and cracking in multiple places, "It's kind of hard to breathe… You know, tight in the chest?" A panic coiled out from the pit of Ochako's stomach. She had earlier taken notice of the slight wheeze that came with each shallow breath, and the rattling of his body whenever he exhaled or inhaled.

"And…," His words were slurring, Ochako observed with grim anxiety. "My legs are kinda numb… in the really painful way." His eyelids fluttered closed and her mind went into a frenzied overdrive.

" _Oh god no… Don't tell me-!"_ Craning her aching neck (which she assumed had some kind of whiplash) she was met with a horrifying sight. Blood was pooling around Izuku's lower half, a deep crimson staining the uneven cement, but it wasn't from the injury she had presumed. Crushed under a sizable boulder of stone and wires was both of Izuku's legs.

"My god, Izuku!" " _How could he -, no,_ we _\- not have noticed this?!"_ Her mind was screeching and she drowned in hysteria. She whipped her head around to face him again, trying to ignore the creeping thought of her boyfriend's shattered bones, but instead failing to the question of " _Where did all the blood come from?"_

Dismissing the pain caused by shaking her head, she pushed the gruesome thought to the back of her mind. "Izuku, we-," Her eyes grew wide and terror flooded her senses. Looking down, his expression was serene, relaxed with rest.

"Hey, hey, no, no, don't fall asleep! Wake up! Come on, wake up Izuku!" Not the first time that day, tears once again streamed down her face, dripping from her chin.

A groan resounded through the small cave of rubble, and Izuku blinked open an eye as much as he could. Lifting his left arm to stroke her tangled hair, he looked up at his girlfriend with warm concern. "Wha's wrong…?" His words were mushed together, the blood loss and concussion taking their toll on his body.

"Oh, oh, you're awake, thank goodness. Please don't fall asleep again, please," Quiet, her voice dripped with alleviation, but hinted at remaining worry. She took her uninjured hand and brought it up to gently caress Izuku's face. " _I have to find a way to keep him awake!"_ She resolved as his eyelids began to droop close again.

An idea struck, "He-hey Deku?" She had a habit of reverting into the use of his nickname when she was nervous. "What… What are your favorite birthday memories?"

His eyes grew wider. The realization of it still being his birthday caught him off-guard; it seemed that throughout the day's events he had forgotten the date. "Um…," He hesitated, reluctant to tell her about the frequent loneliness he experienced in his childhood. Of course, the entire class had learned the majority of his painful past, Ochako naturally knowing the most (next to Toshinori and Inko), but he didn't like to burden his friends with his issues. But he knew that she was trying to keep him talking. There was no denying the presence of blood-loss and concision induced slumber looming near.

He let out a shaky exhale and began recalling the parts of his childhood that he could remember fondly, "When I was a kid, as you know, I didn't have…," He gulped and steeled his nerves, "Didn't have many friends as a kid, so I never had 'parties'."

Ochako frowned, depressed by the mention of Izuku's rough time as a child. But she refrained from saying anything, letting him continue. "But Mom and I would always celebrate. She would make me a cake that had a number candle and the words "Happy Birthday Izuku" written in frosting. And sometimes she would get an All Might candle too," A soft and weak, but one-hundred percent genuine chuckle reverberated through his chest. "The color of the cake would always change - she kept it unique -, but the flavor was the same each year." His spew of words was disrupted by a large yawn.

"What flavor was it?" Ochako questioned, her voice far too loud for the delicate situation. " _Have to keep him talking. Have to keep him talking. Come on, Ochako."_ She bit her lip, nearly hard enough to draw blood, awaiting his answer.

His words growing more incoherent each moment, every phrase coming closer to falling victim to his uneasy breathing, he continued to persevere. "Lemon - Mom and I have always both liked it. I've never been big on gifts, so I never really asked for anything, but Mom would get me something anyway."

When he seemed to be fading again (his eyelids slowly drifting close, then blinking up rather rapidly, over and over) she piped up with another question. She was doing her best to stay as positive-spirited as possible in the dire scenario, but it was difficult to keep the pain from her voice. Ochako's legs bent significantly at the knees, her feet all but touching her bottom in an effort to avoid contact with the boulder hovering over her body, supported by the sections of rubble that made the 'walls' of the little cave she and Izuku were imprisoned in. Extending her legs in the slightest would cause them to make contact with the concrete hunk crushing Izuku's body from just above the knees and down. Afraid to shift the delicate position of said item, she silently suffered through muscle cramps that took over her body, refusing to disturb the rock's placement and instead focusing on keeping Izuku awake. "What kinda things did she give you?"

"Jus' some stuff. Action… 'igures and clothes…," He shifted his jaw a bit, and Ochako worried that she was losing him - she didn't know how long they had been buried underneath the rubble, but it definitely wasn't a short time. The slur of his words was getting worse, and he had resorted to speaking with his eyes closed. The tears spurting from Ochako's eyes refused to seize as she contemplated what to say next.

"Ya' know? These past years at Yuuei, with you and everyone else, have been my favorite birthdays…," He was looking at her now, and through the deep tiredness evident in his eyes, there was an immersive gratitude that seemed to tell a story all on its own. "The first year really surprised me, and you guys even made sure my mom was at the party. We all ate cake together and laughed and talked… I remember crying like a baby throughout the entire day. The second year was just as great. We all went out shopping and you guys took me out to dinner after. And you got me that yellow sweater that I love so much," He laughed a bit, then continued his little impromptu speech, "That was right before we started dating. I blushed like crazy. I still can't believe all that you guys have done for me," He sighed contently, and a small, pleasant smile made itself known. "I couldn't be where I am without everyone who's supported me. Especially you, Ochako."

Ochako was shocked, her mouth slightly agape, and her eyes large with surprise. She watched, tears spawning from all sorts of emotions making her eyesight blurry and foggy, as he blinked slowly several times. The moment his thick eyelashes rested on his cheekbones, unshifting, she couldn't hold back her cry of distress. "Izuku?!" She received no answer.

"Izuku! Hey! Izuku! Wake up!" She frantically screamed his name, no longer worried about her volume. "Izuku! _Please!_ You _have_ to wake up!" She wailed, shaky sobs bubbling from her throat. When her efforts resulted in no response, her heart was enveloped in a pit of despair and agony. " _No…"_ She thumped her head against his chest, her body overtaken with convulsions of anguish. " _No, please. I can't… I can't lose him."_

* * *

 **(A/N):** I would like to thank the IzuOcha Discord server for helping me with this. Even though I just joined, you all tolerated me when I came complaining about how I couldn't get something or was stuck, and helped me through it. I appreciate all of you.

Also, sorry for the weird line break at the beginning of the story... the regular breaks weren't working there... for some reason. (?)

With that out of the way, thank you so much for reading and have an excellent day and eat and drink plenty! Love ya all!

 _ **P.S.**_ _So this has been done since the 15th, but I sorta forgot to post it here on ffn... Sorry 'bout that... ^^;_


	2. Chapter 2: A Rescue and a Setting Sun

"Shouto!" A Yuuei student called, sprinting over to her classmate, another following closely behind her. "What's going on?!" The two made their way over to the fire-and-ice user, breathing heavily and sweat glistening on their bodies.

Shooting up from his place on the apartment complex parking lot, Shouto acknowledged them, "Ashido, Sero," He nodded in both of their directions as they caught their breath, the latter's hands on his knees, panting.

Fingers wrapped around her hips, chest heaving (Who knew how long they had been running for?) Mina answered, "Heroes Pinky and Cellophane here to help!" She flashed a wide smile that soon fell into a frown. "Now - what do we need to do?" Her dark eyes displayed her serious determination.

Sighing, Shouto began, both of his classmates listening with rapt attention, "Izu-" He corrected himself, using his friend's hero name instead, "Deku and Uravity got trapped inside after a fourth attack from the villains." The trio made their way over to the pros stationed closer to the building - or what was left of it, anyway. "We don't know where they are or how injured they could be."

Now standing near the cluster of gathered heroes, Hanta asked a question, "How come you've waited 'till now to go in? They could be de-" He stopped himself short, noticing the way Shouto flinched and how his expression quickly grew conflicted. Quieter this time, "They could be in a lot of trouble…"

"We were waiting for more appropriate heroes and more reinforcements," Looking away from the pink-skinned girl and the lanky boy and up towards the building, Shouto provided reasoning, "But with you two here… we can finally save them."

Within a short fifteen minutes, a group of heroes and interns were sent in to rescue Izuku and Ochako, consisting of Hanta, Mina, Deatharms, Thirteen, and Shouto. Each individual was on the lookout, searching high and low for the missing duo.

The first two or so floors were relatively intact, aside from the piles of cement, blown out windows and crumbling everything, which came as a surprise to many. Up above, only the skeleton remained, everything else shattered and busted apart, walls deteriorating and ceiling caving, with the floor threatening to give out. It was hard to tell what the building had even served as, the furniture reduced to fabric and wood scraps.

After a thorough comb of the bottom levels, the heroes dreaded their ascent to the next level, fearing the state of the two they were looking for. Avoiding the parts that would collapse at any moment, the rescue party climbed flight after flight of stairs, turning up empty-handed after each floor's examination. Some already disheartened, they pushed on.

Upon the approach of floor 9, Hanta stopped them and whispered, "Wait. Do you hear that?" Head craning upward, Shouto tried to pick out the noise Hanta was referring to.

"Hear what?" Mina inquired, confused when she didn't detect anything peculiar.

"Ssh!" Hanta hushed her, then spoke almost silently, "Just listen…" With a hand on his chin, he tried to decipher the source.

"Yea, I do hear it," Thirteen murmured, also thinking of the source. At the same moment, Shouto was on the brink of discovering the answer, the key to their mission's end on the tip of his tongue.

In a second of realization, Shouto cried, "Crying!" Everyone looked at him, astonished by his outburst. "Someone's crying!" He asserted, sure of his deduction. Staring at him, it took a moment for the group to process his words.

With a gasp, Mina added to Shouto's announcement, "It must be Ochako!" Clarity struck, and everyone could make out the distinct sobbing that rung out from above. Whipping around to face both Mina and the tattered stairs, Shouto exchange a nod with the girl and they both dashed up the steps.

Taking the lead, Shouto reached the ninth level in record time, pushed onward by his adrenaline and fear. "Ochako!" He screeched, frantic to find the girl and her boyfriend. Behind him, the rest of the heroes, filtered in, each anticipating the initial rescue.

"Wait," Hanta began, cutting everyone's hollers short, "Why don't we follow the sound?" Nods were exchanged all around and the group dispersed, hunting down the location of Izuku and Ochako.

A solid five minutes passed before Shouto came across a massive pile of boulders, hunks of cement that had fallen from the floors above and walls. He hypothesized that the screaming sobs of anguish were coming from the area. Steeling his nerves, he inhaled and proceeded, "Ochako?!"

The crying sputtered to a sudden stop. _Bingo._ Calling out again, Shouto gave more details, "Ochako? Where are you?" He decided to add his name, "It's Shouto! We're here to rescue you!"

A muffled answer filtered out from the cracks between the different rocks, "Sho-Shouto?! It's me! We're in here! Hurry! We're buried under all of these boulders!" She sounded so distraught - so unlike her normal self. Frantic and hysteric, hopeless and eaten by despair.

" _Okay, okay,"_ Shouto calmed himself, approaching the heap his friends were entrapped within. "Guys! I found them!" He shouted behind himself, garnering the attention and immediate presence of his fellow heroes.

Inside of the small cave built around the crushed students, Ochako held her hands against the stone walls and ceiling, pounding weakly with her fists. Attempting to look out through one of the cracks, she was blinded by the sunlight filtering in through them. "Please! Hurry!" She called through her tears, desperate to get out. _Get Izuku out._

She heard muddled words and Shouto say, "They're in there." She felt apprehensive of what was to come after their rescue, but was urged to escape. In a matter of seconds, she was squinting from the sudden onslaught of light, a choked sob slipping from her mouth.

Ochako was covered head to toe with dirt, and sweat and tear tracks had clearly washed much of it away from her face. Bruises tattered her body and a bloody cloth was being held to her side. She stared at them, appalled and unsure of what to say.

It took a moment - Shouto stared at the teal and blood-stained fabric, then at the scarred hand holding it, then the arm, and the owner of the arm. And at last, the pale, resting face of Izuku, blood dripping from his temple. Panic took over Shouto's body after seeing the ghostly appearance of his friend. He had expected damage, but not to an extent where Izuku would pass out. He would be in to see more than a head injury, however.

"Please," Ochako pleaded, breaking Shouto from his trance, "You have to get Izuku _out of here_ ," Gulping, Shouto stared at his female friend's exhausted and frightened face.

"Right," Thirteen said as Deatharms finished placing the rock that had been acting as a lid on the ground, a fair distance away from the pack of people. The white-suited hero grabbed Ochako's arm, the student latching her hand around the hero's limb, and helped ease her out. She winced considerably, but put herself second, once again urging the others to help her boyfriend.

After Ochako had been propped against a nearby boulder, Mina at her side for comfort, the remaining heroes decided on what to do with Izuku. The blood that Shouto had just taken notice of was alarming. Even more so was the way his legs were crushed beneath a sizable stone. Eyes wide, Shouto couldn't help but picture the damage dealt to his friend's limbs. Shunning the image from his thoughts, Shouto prepared for the plan that they had decided on to be executed. They would first lift the boulder crushing his legs, then work on moving the others, up until getting Izuku out was a simple task.

Deatharms grasped hold of the chunk of rubble, paused for a brief second, then hauled it up, keeping it firm in his arms. Blood dripped from a steel wire that stuck out of the boulder, and the source of the blood pooling around Izuku's body was quickly realized. The sight was gruesome, and the reactions were according. Several meters away, Ochako's face paled considerably, and she turned to the side and promptly emptied her stomach's contents, Mina holding her hair and rubbing her friend's back as she attempted to suppress her own response. A curse word slipped from Shouto's mouth, and his limbs grew numb. He had to look away, trying to ignore Ochako's choked bawls and his urge to bolt from the building.

Each individual had expected extensive injury, but no one could've been prepared for what came next. The twisting wire had been yanked from Izuku's right leg, and a sudden, strangled gurgle erupted from his throat. Then, in a moment that shook Ochako and everyone else to the bone, a spew of screams forced themselves out of his broken body. He writhed on the ground, tears spouting endlessly from his tightly shut eyes. The minds of every hero shouted, " _What's going on?! What should we do?!"_

Quickly, it all halted as he turned to the side and promptly vomited blood, the crimson liquid dripping off his lips. The amount, while not voluminous, was still dangerous and added to the growing puddle surrounding his body, the blood flowing swifter than ever with the blockage removed. Izuku's body then went limp once again, falling unconscious, possibly unaware of what had transpired. Everything was silent after, the group attempting to process what they had witnessed.

The first movement in the area was a hand warmly meeting Shouto's quavering shoulder. He was gently turned around to face Hanta, who wore an alarmed expression. "Todoroki… You're not handling this well, are you?" _No one was, not even the pros._ Shouto looked down, angry at himself and ashamed, among thousands of other emotions. What he heard next wasn't the lecture he was expecting, "Take Uraraka outside and wait for us there."

Shouto made a motion to argue, but stopped, knowing that at this point he wouldn't be much of a help in the situation. "Al… Alright." He sighed and Hanta offered a sad smile. Shouto made his way over to Ochako, who was clearly fighting off dry heaves as Mina hugged her from behind, both girls weeping.

"Hey!" Hanta's voice came again, and Shouto glanced over his shoulder to see the other student gesturing with a thumbs up, "We'll get 'im outta here, so don't worry." Nodding, Shouto continued on his way.

He reached Ochako, who was sobbing into her hands, the vision of her boyfriend's mutilated legs haunting her. Soft assurances leaked from Mina's lips and she grasped tightly onto the smaller girl.

Crouching and placing a hand on his tattered friend, he relayed to her what he had been told to do. "Bu-but I can't leave him!" She protested, her voice meak and afraid. Shouto sighed, biting his lip. He felt the same way, but knew what had to be done.

Quickly, Mina whipped her friend around and clutched at her arms, sternly pronouncing, "Ochako! Go! We'll get Midori out of here, trust me, but you need to get somewhere safer! Do what Midori would want you to do!" She clutched one of her fists, a hard determination making its way to her expression.

With that, Ochako accepted (though rather begrudgingly) and she was quickly lifted by strong arms. Carrying her bridal style, Shouto used his quirk to speed down the building's stairs, his ice making a slick path across the rubble. While they moved, Ochako grasped his shoulder with her uninjured arm, afraid to fall. To her dismay, she realized, " _He's shaking…"_

She suddenly felt guilty — she had only been concerned about Izuku and herself, but she didn't think about how difficult the situation would be on others. Ochako felt ashamed for her lack of awareness. She felt the urge to comfort her friend, but didn't know how.

Shouto wasn't so numb as to ignore the trembling coming from the girl in his arms. But he couldn't feel the way that he himself was quivering. The only things running through his head were the words, " _He's too still."_ Plaguing him was the inerasable vision of his best friend's resting body, the shallow breaths nearly undetectable. The memory of Izuku's screams echoed, drowning out every other sound that reached Shouto's ears.

As they continued their descent to the stations outside, Ochako gazed up at Shouto's stoic face, his eyes cast forward. She could sense his unease. Looking down at her lap, she anticipated what was to come next.

On the ninth floor, the remaining heroes attempted to work around their problem, not wanting to cause any more damage to the severely injured teen they were tasked with saving. As Deatharms eliminated the boulders in the way, Hanta and Mina stood to the side, talking anxiously about what they were seeing. "Did you see that wire thing that was stuck in the boulder?" The tape user whispered.

Mina replied, "Yea, I did. It must've… you know. And that's probably where all the blood came from. I can't believe he withstood that…," She rubbed her bare arm in discomfort.

"He may not have even realized what was going on, with all the shock," He sighed, not knowing where else to carry the conversation. He and the acid-quirk holder remained in silence, the atmosphere thick with intensity.

A small distance away, Thirteen and Deatharms wrapped up the movement of the rocks. Deatharms looked at the other pro with question, and received a sure nod back. Breathing steadily, he cautiously approached the ever-unconscious Izuku, each step placed purposely. He crouched down and positioned his arms. " _Uravity's quirk would be useful in this situation,"_ He thought briefly. They would have to do this the old fashioned way, however.

In a swift motion, the muscled hero pushed his hands under Izuku's smaller body, snaking his arms around the boy. When he stood up, there was a small groan that slipped past the green-haired students lips, and the following scrunch of his eyes and eyebrows alerted everyone in the vicinity.

"Midori!" Mina shouted, sliding over to Deatharms. There was no response — he hadn't woken up after all. They couldn't decide if that was what they wanted or not. After the area was secured, the group of five began their journey to the ground level.

With Thirteen leading the way to eliminate obstructions in the path, they naturally reached the first floor swiftly. As they made their way to the exit, apprehension hung in the air like a sickness. The reaction of those outside would be unpredictable.

When the space-hero sauntered from the destroyed building, a hush blanketed all of those in the parking lot, eyes glued to the doorway. (A similar thing had happened when Shouto had skidded from the building, Ochako in his arms and a trail of ice left behind him.) The moment that Deatharms exited, however, the silence erupted into a storm of applause, everyone catching a sight at the unconscious boy in his arms.

Deatharms felt like the claps were uncalled for; they didn't do their job. He frowned, feeling blood seeping through his shirt and pants, dripping off of Izuku's body and splattering on the ground. It was caking the student's dark teal costume, streaks of it running all over his body. So, he chose not to acknowledge the acclaims sprouting from the crowd, and instead neared where Shouto and the resting Ochako were.

Upon his approach, he realized that the brown-haired girl had fallen asleep, using a jacket as a pillow. Where the jacket had come from, Deatharms didn't know. A nurse was digging through a first aid kit, just a few meters off of where the female student rested. When she caught sight of the approaching hero, severely injured teenager cradled in his arms, she gasped and her eyes went wide.

When he reached her, Deatharms asked the nurse, "Where do you want me to set him?" The nurse zipped over to him after latching her box closed, the supply collection in hand. She pointed to a spot on the ground, just a couple feet away from Ochako, and Deatharms complied, bending at the waist. When Izuku's body met the ground, his head rolled to the side, hitting the asphalt. Both the nurse and Deatharms cringed. Deatharms quickly pulled his arms out from under Izuku and the nurse approached.

She crouched next to him, expression shaky as she sweat with nervousness. She examined the numerous wounds, grimacing at the damage. Deatharms took a moment to inspect his own clothing, glancing down. It seemed as if he had just been in a dangerous battle and gotten beaten to a pulp, with the amount of blood falling from his costume. He sighed and tried to ignore it.

As the nurse was gently holding Izuku's head, turning it slightly to see if there were multiple bleeding injuries there, a realization struck the muscled hero standing nearby. "Hey," He started, the nurse's attention shooting towards him, "Where is the ambulance? Shouldn't we take them to the hospital?"

The nurse bit her lip and then answered, eyebrows furrowed, "It was too full to even fit another child, so they had to go. There is another one on the way… but I don't know when they'll get here."

Deatharms was almost angry about this fact, but held it in. "Oh," He answered, and the nurse resumed her work, more uneasy than ever.

After examining the head wound, she easily concluded that there was only one impact point. Grabbing a role of bandages, gauze, and an antiseptic, as well as an ointment, she set out to get started, ripping open the package that the antiseptic cloth was in. When she placed it on the wound and began to gently rub at the clotted blood, the student shifted. Alarmed by the motion she spoke, "Now, Izuku, I need you not to move… We'll get you to the hospital soon."

Next to her, Ochako was beginning to stir, waking from her uncomfortable slumber, and at the name "Izuku", she shot up, eyes wide and alert. For a moment, she seemed to be alright, but she quickly bent over, clutching her head, then neck in pain.

"Miss!" The nurse cried, attempting to fight the urge to comfort the girl, "You must stay still! I know this is alarming, but we have to remain as orderly as possible. Give me a moment and I can see what I can do for your pain."

"But-!" Ochako wanted to help Izuku - _he could die._ No, _he was dying._ It was at this moment that Shouto decided to make his presence known. He had been sitting off from the group, his look void of all emotions. Most had decided to leave him to his thoughts. But as he approached Ochako, Izuku, and the nurse, he said in a monotone voice, "Do what she says, Ochako."

Ochako looked at him, shocked by his blunt words. "I…," She decided it better not to argue with him, fearing his reaction. "Can I at least hold his hand?" But that didn't mean she wouldn't try to compromise.

The woman nodded, and Ochako began to drag herself the small distance over, not wanting to put any weight on her injured ankle. Shouto decided to help, seeing her struggle over the travel. He walked over and lifted her up, no words spoken, then set her down near Izuku, taking a seat on the ground, legs crossed. Ochako looked at him, once again taken aback by his actions. When he didn't return her gaze, she turned to Izuku, tears springing to her eyes at the sight of his broken body. She clutched his hand, squeezing tight. " _He's cold!"_ She thought, noticing the sharp chill to his skin.

The medic continued to work on treating Izuku's head wound, now holding the gauze to his temple, the fabric quickly soaking up dark blood. Ochako grimaced, praying that the definite concussion that he had was only mild. "Could one of you hold up his head as I wrap it?" The relatively quiet woman asked, looking up.

Shouto nodded, being the one closest to his head, and lifted it up, palms resting against the back. Izuku's hair was tangled and grimy with dirt and dust, along with dried up blood. The nurse abruptly finished wrapping the bandage around Izuku's head, his green mane poking out in all directions. After his head was set gently on the pavement, the attendant moved down to work on his legs, which she had been avoiding for fear of the damage.

At this point, she had already temporarily bandaged the main puncture wound on his leg (which was already soaked in blood) and had wrapped a band higher up on the same limb to slow the bleeding. Thinking, she knew that the red-and-white haired boy near her held the powers of both ice and fire. "Sir, do you think you could make a block of ice so that we could raise his leg?" She proposed.

Shouto accepted quickly and stood up, walking over to where the woman was. "How high do you want it?" After he was told an answer, he quickly made the support, and returned to where he was sitting earlier.

"We have to make sure…," The nurse mumbled to herself, "That the injury is above his heart…" She slipped her hands under his right leg, trying her hardest not to jar the injury. "One… two… three!" She quickly pulled it up and lightly brought it back down and onto the ice block.

Ochako tried to ignore the creaking of his shattered bones that was caused by the motion. She instead focused on rubbing Izuku's hand with her own. For a moment, she studied his bloodied and grimacing face and wondered, " _When did that happen?"_ As the practitioner worked on rewrapping his legs and applying pressure to his main wounds, Ochako set out to do something about the dried blood that had seeped into his eye. She patted Izuku's hand and then let go to grab the first aid kit that was sitting nearby. Shuffling through it, she found a package of moistened medical towelettes.

While Ochako was still searching, Shouto had spared a glance at his friend. A sound left his lips when he noticed something. He leaned forward, "Izuku?" His eyes were visibly twitching underneath his eyelids, and his mouth shifted. Shouto studied his face, biting his lip and furrowing his brows.

When her boyfriend's name stumbled from Shouto's lips, Ochako rushed over, nearly sliding across the asphalt and ignoring her own injuries. "Izuku?!" She cried, already hunched over his body, the sealed package she had been holding discarded to the ground. She latched onto his left hand, shaking it slightly. "Hey? Are you awake? Izuku?" Her voice was riddled with anxiety and anticipation.

Izuku's body twitched, and at last, his eyelids fluttered open. He squinted up and groaned, grimacing at everything. "Izuku!" Ochako gasped, tears pricking at her eyes. She had a shaky and unsure smile, something that wavered every second. All that she longed to do was tackle her boyfriend in a hug, but knew better than to aggravate his severe wounds.

When there was no verbal response, Ochako began to panic, noticing how Izuku's eyes were wide and frightened, darting around the area. "Izuku?" He stared up at her, tears leaking from the corners of his green eyes.

"Is he awake?!" The nurse shreaked, springing up from her place on the ground. She had been inspecting the damaged tissue of his legs, as well as wrapping the gaping hole in his right one. "Oh my god." She breathed when she saw his shifting eyes. Launching at the first aid kit, she began throwing out items, searching frantically for something.

"Wha-what's going on?" Ochako's heart was clamoring on in her heart, the color draining from her face in horror.

"He's going into shock! Too much blood loss!" She yanked her hands out of the box, shouting, "There!" In her hand was a pill bottle and syringe, in the other a small glass container. Jabbing the syringe into the glass's rubber top, she filled it up abruptly, slowing down at the end to get an accurate measurement.

Quickly, both Shouto and Ochako moved out of the way, the medic moving in to take their places. "What's that?" Trying to hold back her oncoming tears, Ochako stared at the clear liquid sloshing within the needle's canister. After finding the preferred section of the arm to inject the shot, the determined woman pushed the syringe into Izuku's right arm. After swiftly inoculating the liquid into his bloodstream, she removed the needle. A pinprick of blood immediately seeped out of the entry area.

Leaving the small wound to scab over by itself, she answered Ochako, discarding the needle and twisting off the pill bottle's cap, "A sedative," She dumped four white tablets into her palm and, leaning over him, dropped them into Izuku's slightly open mouth. "Swallow," She commanded, to which he obeyed. Before the question could be asked, she told the brunette at her side what the medications were, "Fast acting painkillers."

"Okay," Rolling up her sleeves, the paramedic moved back to her original position by Izuku's legs. Crouching, she warned him, "Hey, this'll hurt… a lot, but you've got to withstand it, 'kay?" She shakily inhaled, bracing her hands above the puncture wound in his leg. "The ambulance will be here soon, and the meds should be kicking in…"

Before the nurse could do what she was about to, Ochako speedily moved next to Izuku, sitting with her legs crossed and feet tucked. She cradled his head in her hands, earning her a confused and dazed glance, gently lifting it into her lap. He stared up at her, one of his eyes half lidded and coated with blood. The girl reached for his hand, her tears dripping off of her chin and splattering on Izuku's face.

And then, the nurse exhaled, and pushed down, applying pressure to Izuku's leg. Her hands were on top of each other, but even still, blood gushed from between her fingertips, seeping through the bandages. Izuku clenched his teeth, squeezing Ochako's hand until her knuckles grew white. "Nnng-!" He fought back his cries of pain, tears springing from his eyes as he clenched them closed.

Ochako, doing all that she could to provide support, pressed her throbbing forehead against his. Their tears mingled, soaking their skin as they wept. "I'm so sorry, Izuku… I'm sorry… please, just hold on a little longer," She sobbed. She felt him sharply nod, and she repeated "I'm sorry" like a mantra. " _If only… If only I protected him…"_

The next minutes passed with slow agony, painful in many ways. Ochako's hand was aching, but it couldn't be compared to her heart's pain. She wished there was a way to relieve Izuku's suffering. He had grown less responsive as the moments passed - she supposed due to the injection of sedative. And sometime during the ordeal of clotting up his main injury, Shouto had grabbed Izuku's other hand, joining Ochako in supporting him.

As she tried to ignore the world, Ochako caught the breathy phrase of "Thank god," from the nurse's lips. Looking up, a pink circle on her head, she saw the nurse stand, and jog past her. Turning to look, she was astounded by the mighty ambulance sitting just before her. " _I… didn't even hear it…"_ Part of her rejoiced, but she was still plagued by the still looming threat.

Before she knew it, the ambulance doors were swung open, and Izuku was taken from her grasp and into the metal vehicle. The nurse swiftly informed the new paramedics of the situation, of what she had done, and of what needed to be done immediately.

Loud, yelling voices floated over Ochako's head, and she watched as people ran all over, almost as if in slow motion. She looked up into the ambulance and at her boyfriend, bleeding over a gurney, with EMTs leaning over his now limp body.

Breaking her from her trance of despair, was Shouto's hand, extended down to her. Ochako tilted her head up to him, water shifting down her dirt covered face, her expression shocked and his sympathetic and troubled. She took his hand, and was soon standing, walking with the support of her friend. Silently, the two made their way to the ambulance. Once there, Shouto grabbed her sides, and lifted her up and onto the vehicle's metal floor.

"What are you doing?" Came a voice — a male paramedic behind them. He was holding a clipboard, his eyebrows cocked in stern suspicion.

Without giving an ounce of hesitation, Shouto defended, "She's riding with him," His voice carried a directive coldness, sending shards of ice down the medic's back.

"Hmph, alright. At least get out of the way," He feigned confidence, pushing Shouto out of the way. Before Ochako had a chance to thank him, he was gone, disappearing within the growing crowd. "Well, let's get you up here, and then we _have got_ to go." Ochako was then situated on one of the ambulance's metallic benches, unacknowledged by the emergency doctors at work.

The doors were slammed shut, and the engine started. The ambulance rolled down the road, beginning the race for the hospital. Ochako shifted forward on her seat, once again grasping Izuku's hand. She gazed at his face, more tears threatening to drip off of her nose. His eyes were squeezed closed and a breathing mask fogged over as he unsteadily breathed.

She tensely awaited every jolt of the ambulance, anticipating their arrival. The declarations of the medics passed by as they dutifully worked on Izuku. Ochako peered down at her and Izuku's conjoined hands, blaming herself for all that had recently conspired.

As they rushed through the city, whisking past stopped cars, the sirens wailed, heightening the panic bubbling within Ochako. She fought the urge to inspect the vehicle, straining to stare at the ground. With the jostling of the vehicle, a dizziness began to assault Ochako's senses. She bit her lip and furrowed her eyebrows.

Her state of consciousness was threatened as the ambulance pulled into the emergency ward of the hospital, the rubber tires screeching against the ground when they came to a skidding halt. Ochako nearly fell to the ground, almost launched from where she sat. Quickly, before Ochako had even time to collect herself, the single paramedic from the front was slamming her door shut and flinging the back doors open.

Everything seemed blurred. Ochako faintly registered the male EMT forcefully removing her grip on Izuku, and wondered if he had yelled at her. Muffled words made it to Ochako's ears (" _On three - one, two, three._ ") and she was soon tailing after the two medics as they wheeled Izuku off on a gurney. Her vision was fading and head throbbing as she limped after them, desperately attempting to keep up.

A choked sob escaped her throat as she burst through the sliding glass doors and into a bustling, booming room of dozens of people. The two paramedics that she had ridden in the ambulance with were yelling information, and five other hospital staff had already joined them in the journey down a bright hallway. Dragging herself further, Ochako ignored a nurse trying to get her attention and asking if she was alright, ultimately pushing her hand away when she grabbed for her. The only thing on her foggy mind was catching up to Izuku… and soon she was running, sprinting toward him, dismissing the agonizing pain lurching over her bruised body. "Izuku! No! Izuku!" She screamed, her voice cracking with both emotion and dryness. " _Just a little farther!"_

And just like that, they made a sharp turn into wide doors, a man from the group stopping at the entrance, throwing out his arm. Making it to him, Ochako breathlessly cried, "Please! You have to let me through! Please, hurry!"

She was utterly hysterical, but the man posted outside remained stoic, informing her of the regulations, "I can't, he must undergo surgery. Sign in at the front and we will let you know of any updates." He seemed unhuman, not even flinching at the girl's desperation or the extent of her boyfriend's injuries.

"No…" Ochako breathed, eyes wide as she fixated a shaky stare on to the ground. And then louder, "No. No! NO! I-I have to see - I have to see h-him!" She sunk to her knees, clamping her violently shaking hands over her head. "No, no, no, Izuku… Please, you have to make it…" She begged out loud, agonized by her despair and anguish.

Just outside, more forces, other injured, and more heroes were arriving. Many looked up to the sky, squinting. The sun was setting. The day was coming to an end. But darkness of many kinds shrouded all those present… A long night had just begun.

* * *

 **(A/N):** I'm so sorry that I've been so inactive! I had a ton of stuff pop up, school suddenly came around the corner, and I started struggling with some things... but here I am! I know I've been getting a lot of "update?" comments on all of my stories, so even though I can't be as active as I would like to be (due to classes), I'll at least be posting a bit more... Now! About this chapter! I can't believe that I actually thought that I would be able to finish the whole plot in 2 chapters! I realized that that would be nowhere near possible, so I'm thinking this project may take a bit longer than expected... But it just means more fun, right? Oh, I also want to add that I'm sorry this chapter was really slow... I didn't like it very much, and I'm not good at writing action, but I tried. I think/hope the next chapters are a bit better for you guys! Well, onto the answering of reviews:

 _Today's program brought to you by AlcoCandle, "the candles that smell like alcohol!" The newest scent is Seven Rum Punch! Get it now on the rainbow market! (Only available for purchase in Sleepytown and Neverland.)_

 **Chopper911:** I always look forward to your comments, both on AO3 and here, Chopper. They are very appreciated. ^^

 **determinationiskey:** I know, it hurts haha, but yet I still do it all the time. Also, Shouto is Todoroki's hero name and first name! Shota is Mr. Aizawa's first name! Hope that cleared everything up, Determination!

 **MoonVistheu:** aCK, don't cry! And don't worry, good things are coming! Lot's of fluff in the near future to cheer you up! And thank you! ^^

 **Zakishio:** Thank you! I find myself falling into a cycle of always ending off in some terrible cliffhanger... maybe I'll try to change that... or I could leave you all waiting in worry...

 **MSPRIGGS:** Thank you! I hope you enjoyed this one too! And yes! There are many up coming chapters to tie this all together... I also have decided to make a continuation about Izuku's recovery! So look forward to that!

Thank you for all of the support everywhere on this story, it means so much to me... really, everytime I open up an email that has a new review, follower, favorite, or whatever, I get super excited. And know that I haven't given up on any of my stories! Well, thank you so much for reading and have an excellent day! Love you all!


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